People with Disabilities
In creating the sections for this guide, we tried to make categories that made sense from an organizational point of view. As we repeat often in this guide, people with disabilities are unique, and are affected in very individual ways by their disabilities. As you read you will find flaws in our method of classification. There is definitely an overlap among these categories, particularly in the "Other Disabilities" section. This guide does not presume to make the final statement on disability classification. Our purpose here is to offer some basic information that can be used as a quick reference for people who serve people with disabilities. However crude or incomplete, we have organized the information in such a way that we hope will assist you in serving people in a sensitive manner.
The following are anchored links that will take you to the specific section in this document:
Introduction
People with Psychiatric Disabilities
People with Other Disabilities
Quiz ...........
IntroductionHow We Communicate with People with Disabilities
Providing Services to Clients with Disabilities
Organizations of People with Disabilities
Business Resources for People with Disabilities
Language and Disability
Linguistic Portrayal of People with Disabilities
Derogatory Labelling
Depersonalizing or Impersonal Reference
Stereotyping
What Is the Difference Between Disability, Impairment and Handicap?
Representation of People with Disabilities in Case Materials and Illustrations
How We Communicate with People with Disabilities
Sensitivity to the way in which we present information relating to people with disabilities can be instrumental in overcoming negative attitudes and promoting positive ones. If we want people to feel welcome we need to put out the "welcome mat"
Providing Services to Clients with Disabilities
Understanding how the needs of clients with disabilities differ from other clients lays the foundation for effective decision making on disability related issues.
Organizations of People with Disabilities
Getting help from those in the know is essential to our understanding of how we may best serve our clients. In Canada we have a network of organizations who have devoted their energies to research, service, and adaptations for each unique disability such as visual, hearing, mobility, developmental, and learning to name a few.
Business Resources for People with Disabilities
Tools and resources are fundamental to starting and expanding a business. Knowing how to adapt existing resources can be the key to success or failure in supporting a new entrepreneur with a disability.
Language and Disability
The portrayal of people with disabilities has been fraught with contradictions because of ambivalent attitudes towards disability. People with disabilities have often been described as helpless people to be pitied and cared for. Because people are often uncomfortable or embarrassed about disability, many euphemisms have been created to describe disability and people with disabilities.
Linguistic Portrayal of People with Disabilities
Discriminatory language in relation to the portrayal of people with disabilities is characterized by derogatory labelling, by depersonalizing, by emphasizing the disability rather than the person, and by stereotyping.
Derogatory Labelling
The discriminatory nature of derogatory labels used to describe members of minority groups is often obvious. However, in the case of people with disabilities, labels such as cripple, invalid, deaf and dumb, or retarded are still commonly used, and should be avoided. Some acceptable alternatives for such labels are persons with a mobility impairment, person with Down’s syndrome, person with hearing and speech disabilities, person with an intellectual disability.
Depersonalizing or Impersonal Reference
Often people with a disability are referred to collectively as the disabled, the handicapped, the mentally retarded, the blind, the deaf, spastics, epileptics, etc. These terms have the effect of depersonalizing the description of people and equating the person with the disability. These impersonal references to people with disabilities should be avoided. The following terms are generally preferred as they recognize that the disability is only one characteristic of the person or persons:
If it is necessary or desirable to be more specific about the disability involved, the same strategy is recommended that is, not to focus entirely on the person’s disability in the description.
Tip: Do not put the disability first and the person second.
Stereotyping
The portrayal of people with disabilities as helpless, mindless, suffering, being deserving of the sympathy and attention is one of many powerful stereotypes which has led and continues to lead to discriminatory treatment of people with disabilities. People with disabilities should be referred to in a positive manner. Positive portrayal of people with disabilities is mainly a matter of presenting them as individuals with a variety of qualities. It does not mean that a person’s disability should be hidden, ignored or seen as irrelevant. However, it should not be the focus of description except when the topic is disability. Be careful not to imply that people with disabilities are to be pitied, feared or ignored, or that they are somehow more heroic, courageous, patient or special than others. Never use the terms normal or able bodied in contrast. Never use the terms victim or sufferer to refer to a person who has or had an illness, disease or disability. These terms dehumanize the person and emphasize powerlessness. For example, victims of AIDS.
A person in a wheelchair is a wheelchair user or simply uses a wheelchair. Avoid terms that define the disability as a limitation, such as "confined to a wheelchair" or "wheelchair bound".
What Is the Difference Between Disability, Impairment and Handicap?
Disabilities or impairments require individuals to find non-traditional methods to perform certain activities and to achieve certain goals. Frequently, however, the individual’s abilities are restricted further by handicaps.
A handicap is a function of the relationship between the individual and the social and physical environment. It refers to the external circumstances which place people with disabilities at a disadvantage in relation to their peers and the norms of society. Handicaps include physical barriers such as inaccessible entrances to buildings, barriers to education and employment opportunities and negative public attitudes.
In the 1800's, the City of London, England allowed only people with a visible disfigurement to beg on city streets. These people were called "cap in hand." Thus the word handicapped evolved.
Representation of People with Disabilities in Case Materials and Illustrations
It is important to extend the non-discriminatory portrayal of people with disabilities to their presentation in case materials and illustrations. For example, people with disabilities should not be excluded from illustrations unrelated to the topic of disability, nor should they be portrayed as oddities or as objects of curiosity.
People First
For many people using this guide, this will be their first introduction to interacting with people with disabilities, while others may have friends, family or other people in their lives who are disabled, and from whom they have learned. Often those of us who are unfamiliar with people who speak, move or think differently feel uncomfortable when we meet someone who is different. This is mainly because we are not sure how we are supposed to act, or how we can assist a person with a disability. The key is that we should act just as we would with a person who is non-disabled. A person using a wheelchair, a guide dog or an artificial limb is a person with hopes and dreams, just like us, who happen to do some everyday tasks differently than we do but they still do them. The problem is, that until we are familiar with the outward indicators of someone’s disability (such as a wheelchair), we may tend to see that indicator first, before we see the person.
The message we try to convey throughout this is that people with disabilities are people first; their disability is secondary. And yet, the other message we are sending is that people with disabilities must be ensured full access to participation in all facets of daily life, and so may need some accommodations that will enable them to accomplish that. While this might sound like a contradiction, it will become a matter of course once all people with disabilities are afforded the same respect that other members of society receive. This guide is intended to break down the barriers of unfamiliarity, so that when we meet someone with a disability, we all see the person first.
The message we try to convey throughout this is that people with disabilities are people first; their disability is secondary. And yet, the other message we are sending is that people with disabilities must be ensured full access to participation in all facets of daily life, and so may need some accommodations that will enable them to accomplish that. While this might sound like a contradiction, it will become a matter of course once all people with disabilities are afforded the same respect that other members of society receive. This guide is intended to break down the barriers of unfamiliarity, so that when we meet someone with a disability, we all see the person first.
It is important to be sensitive to others’ needs, but we must also guard against acting in the other extreme and being overly sensitive or aware of a person’s disability. This can make you, and your client, uncomfortable.
No Assumptions
Another point which is repeated throughout this guide is that we must make no assumptions when serving and interacting with a person with a disability, either about their disability or their need for assistance. This is connected to the previous point about serving people, and not disabilities. People with disabilities often perform tasks differently from non-disabled people because of their impairments and, like non-disabled people, have developed routines and methods for getting things done that seem to work for them. Non-disabled people, though, often see someone performing a task differently, and assume that the person needs assistance (in order to do it the same way as others). This assumption is wrong.
Tip: If we begin by remembering that people with disabilities are simply individuals who do things in their own way, we will avoid ‘unwanted helping". The fastest way of finding out IF someone needs assistance, and if so, HOW they can be assisted, is to ask them.
Disclosure and Privacy What You Need to Know
No Assumptions
Another point which is repeated throughout this guide is that we must make no assumptions when serving and interacting with a person with a disability, either about their disability or their need for assistance. This is connected to the previous point about serving people, and not disabilities. People with disabilities often perform tasks differently from non-disabled people because of their impairments and, like non-disabled people, have developed routines and methods for getting things done that seem to work for them. Non-disabled people, though, often see someone performing a task differently, and assume that the person needs assistance (in order to do it the same way as others). This assumption is wrong.
Tip: If we begin by remembering that people with disabilities are simply individuals who do things in their own way, we will avoid ‘unwanted helping". The fastest way of finding out IF someone needs assistance, and if so, HOW they can be assisted, is to ask them.
Disclosure and Privacy What You Need to Know
A disability is very personal information about someone. Some people are unable to conceal the presence of their disability because of the visibility of the assistive devices they use, while others appear non-disabled to the outside observer. Nevertheless, both individuals have a right to privacy and total confidentiality regarding their disability. Confidentiality may be considered even more crucial in towns where people know one another. People need to know that when they disclose their disability for the purpose of qualifying for this program that their disclosure will be held in total confidence. For some people, revealing their disability to a stranger is a very difficult task.
tip: As a service provider, you need to create an atmosphere of sensitivity and accommodation that permits people to disclose their disability in a private and confidential manner.
Remember that it is unlawful to seek information about a person’s medical history without their permission. Perhaps more importantly, you should only seek details about a person’s disability that are related to your business relationship, and how you can accommodate any special needs that they might have. Personal curiosity about a person’s disability has no place in business.
Common Sense
Finally, a word about common sense in using this guide and providing good service. We have indicated terminology and tips in etiquette that reflect current thinking on interacting with people with disabilities with dignity and sensitivity. Likewise, we have suggested different ways that people with various disabilities may be accommodated during meetings or other interactions.
However, everyone is different. Some of our suggestions may be contradicted by requests for the use of different terminology or assistance by some of your clients, while others won’t want you to do anything special for them. Common sense should prevail. If a person indicates a preference to be treated in a specific way, then that is how they should be treated (this goes back to asking the individual what they prefer). This material should serve as a guide, and is by no means the final word on this topic.
tip: As a service provider, you need to create an atmosphere of sensitivity and accommodation that permits people to disclose their disability in a private and confidential manner.
Remember that it is unlawful to seek information about a person’s medical history without their permission. Perhaps more importantly, you should only seek details about a person’s disability that are related to your business relationship, and how you can accommodate any special needs that they might have. Personal curiosity about a person’s disability has no place in business.
Common Sense
Finally, a word about common sense in using this guide and providing good service. We have indicated terminology and tips in etiquette that reflect current thinking on interacting with people with disabilities with dignity and sensitivity. Likewise, we have suggested different ways that people with various disabilities may be accommodated during meetings or other interactions.
However, everyone is different. Some of our suggestions may be contradicted by requests for the use of different terminology or assistance by some of your clients, while others won’t want you to do anything special for them. Common sense should prevail. If a person indicates a preference to be treated in a specific way, then that is how they should be treated (this goes back to asking the individual what they prefer). This material should serve as a guide, and is by no means the final word on this topic.
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